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Treating loneliness in the aftermath of a pandemic
Published in J. Michael Ryan, COVID-19, 2020
Clinical empathy, generally defined as physicians’ cognitive capacity to take the perspective of their patients and communicate that understanding, is one indicator of the quality of the doctor-patient relationship (Halpern 2001). Despite its importance for a range of patient outcomes (Derksen, Bensing, and Lagro-Janssen 2013), empathy levels are less than ideal in that patients often report disappointment in doctors’ abilities to relate to them as humans (Halpern 2001). In addition to patient outcomes, studies show that greater clinical empathy is associated with less burnout and depression among the doctors themselves (Brazeau et al. 2010; Shanafelt et al. 2005). Making the treatment of loneliness standard practice could produce a win-win situation in that it could simultaneously improve both doctors’ and patients’ well-being by increasing clinical empathy. As coronavirus will inevitably intensify the dangers of doctoring, strengthening the doctor-patient relationship will become paramount – as strong, meaningful relationships with patients have the potential to serve as a buffer to the stressful demands of providing health care (MacArthur and Sikorski 2020).
Hot topics in medicine
Published in Viyaasan Mahalingasivam, Marc A Gladman, Manoj Ramachandran, Secrets of Success: Getting into Medical School, 2020
Veena Naganathar, Asil Tahir, Pairaw Kader, Omar Chehab
The spread of HIV via blood products is a particular problem in intravenous drug users who share needles to administer recreational drugs. In doing so, the virus is passed from one person to another. This is why HIV has higher rates in recreational drug users. It is important to identify drug users so that they can be advised of the risks, which is no easy task, because people do not readily disclose their drug habits. It requires the development of a strong doctor-patient relationship based on trust, honesty and professionalism. It remains important to promote safe and responsible drug use, advocating the use of clean needles and safe injection sites, which are clean and away from areas that may lead to serious infections, such as the neck. Some local authorities have needle exchange programmes to promote the use of clean needles and healthier lifestyles.
Risk management in general practice
Published in Roy Palmer, Diana Wetherill, Medicine for Lawyers, 2020
Effective communication is vital and forms the foundation of a good doctor-patient relationship. The doctor must be able to listen and respond to patients in a sensitive, caring and professional manner. The era of the authoritarian, paternalistic approach has passed and patients rightly expect to be informed and involved in decisions concerning their health. The issue of truly informed consent is contentious in all aspects of medical practice.
Communication skills in primary care settings: aligning student and patient voices
Published in Education for Primary Care, 2023
Chandramani Thuraisingham, Siti Suriani Abd Razak, Vishna Devi Nadarajah, Norul Hidayah Mamat
Socio-cultural differences in communication can cause discordance in the doctor-patient relationship. In our study, aligning student and patient voices helped to identify and broaden perspectives on factors, challenges and enablers that influenced patient-centred communication skills. This in-depth perspective is important in designing clinical learning activities, reiterating the importance of early and continuous experiential learning in authentic cross-cultural primary care settings. The study highlighted students’ need for socio-cultural competence with patients of diverse ethnicities and cultures for work readiness, and faculty’s readiness to facilitate this. Supplementing the voices of patients in addition to those of medical students, is the unique feature of this study, widening the door for patient involvement in primary care training and assessment of undergraduate medical education.
A systematic scoping review of communication skills training in medical schools between 2000 and 2020
Published in Medical Teacher, 2022
Vaishnavi Venktaramana, Eleanor Kei Ying Loh, Clarissa Jing Wen Wong, Jun Wei Yeo, Andrea York Tiang Teo, Celest Sin Yu Chiam, Dillon Jie Ming Foo, Faith Teo, Jonathan Liang, Vijayprasanth Raveendran, Luke Cheng Lin Chng, Shiwei Xiao, Kevin Chong, Seng Leong Quek, Christine Li Ling Chiang, Rachelle Qi En Toh, Caleb Wei Hao Ng, Elijah Gin Lim, Shariel Leong, Kuang Teck Tay, Amos Chan, Elisha Wan Ying Chia, Laura Hui Shuen Tan, Yun Ting Ong, Krish Sheri, Jun Xuan Ng, Annelissa Mien Chew Chin, Jamie Xuelian Zhou, Min Chiam, Alexia Sze Inn Lee, Stephen Mason, Lalit Kumar Radha Krishna
Communication skills are the cornerstone of an effective doctor-patient relationship and the life blood of good medical practice (Kaplan-Liss et al. 2018). Effective communications enhance patient understanding (Ruiz-Moral et al. 2017), treatment compliance (Simmenroth-Nayda et al. 2012) and promote health outcomes and patient safety (Utting et al. 2000; Van Dalen et al. 2001). They also make for confident and competent practitioners (Frost et al. 2015) who are more likely to excel at care provision (Bittner et al. 2015; Choudhary and Gupta 2015). Physicians with good communication skills have also reported better mental health, improved job satisfaction and less burnout (Suojanen et al. 2018). With such holistic and longitudinal effects (van Weel-Baumgarten et al. 2013), developing effective communication skills is key and must necessarily begin in medical school (Simmenroth-Nayda et al. 2011; Lutz et al. 2016).
‘Every patient is like my child’: pediatric neurosurgeons’ relational and emotional bonds with their patients and families
Published in British Journal of Neurosurgery, 2022
Leeat Granek, Shahar Shapira, Shlomi Constantini, Jonathan Roth
The doctor-patient relationship is one of the most important and meaningful aspects of practicing medicine. This is especially true within the field of pediatric neurosurgery where young patients face significant health challenges that may involve one or more brain surgeries over their lifetimes.1 The patient and their caregivers are required to put their trust and their child’s life in the hands of a neurosurgeon, who, in many instances, they may have just met. In one commentary, a pediatric neurosurgeon remarked: ‘A situation in which one person permits another to put him/her to sleep and operate on his/her brain reflects a deep sense of trust. Even more extreme is the situation of parents consenting for their child’s surgery, which is against any parental nature to protect their child.’2 Similarly, in another letter to the editor, a neurosurgeon noted, ‘The most sacred part of what we do is our relationship with the patient. There is deep meaning, reward and satisfaction in that relationship.’3